310 ahead recipes

Blueberries in black pepper Syrah syrup soaks fresh berries in a reduced red-wine syrup laced with vanilla and freshly cracked black pepper. A sophisticated make-ahead dessert for dinner parties.

A slow-simmered lamb chili with black beans, fresh ginger, allspice, and Zinfandel wine. Beans cook with lamb bones for deep flavor. Best made a day ahead for the richest taste.

Intensely rich chocolate silk mousse cake baked in a water bath with a pound of semi-sweet chocolate and a glossy ganache glaze. Make up to 3 days ahead. Serves 8.

Cold bow-tie pasta salad with cherry tomatoes, black olives, cucumbers, radishes, and roasted sunflower seeds in a tangy lemon dressing. A crunchy, make-ahead side dish that's best chilled overnight.

Easy marinated asparagus blanches fresh spears and soaks them overnight in Italian dressing for a tangy, make-ahead side dish. Cool, crisp-tender, and ready to plate on a lettuce leaf.

Russian pastries (pirozhki) with a tender cream cheese dough wrapped around savory ground beef, sour cream, dill, and chopped egg. Make-ahead friendly and freezer-stable for up to a month.

Marinated mushrooms simmer briefly in a tart bath of white wine, lemon juice, vinegar, and olive oil with shallots, garlic, and coriander. A chilled make-ahead appetizer ready in 40 minutes.

No-bake blue cheese terrine with toasted hazelnuts, hard-boiled egg, and fresh herbs set in a radicchio-lined loaf tin. A make-ahead vegetarian appetizer that slices cleanly for parties.

Baked oatmeal studded with dried fruit and baked in individual cups until just set. A make-ahead, kid-friendly breakfast topped with a fun fruit smiley-face the little ones love.

A no-bake chocolate coffee torte: a chocolate wafer and almond crust under a light, Kahlua-spiked mocha cream filling. Chilled until sliceable, no oven required, and easy to make ahead.

Pickled fish poaches mild white fillets, then bathes them overnight in a citrus-bright marinade of vinegar, orange juice, green chiles, bay leaf, and garlic. A make-ahead Mexican escabeche-style dish served cold.

Crock pot barbecued pork turns leftover pork roast into tender pulled-pork sandwiches, slow-cooked in a homemade sweet-and-tangy tomato BBQ sauce. A freezer-friendly make-ahead, ready to pile on buns.

These pancakes can be made ahead and frozen. If using in Sweet Red Bean Paste Pancakes, bring back to room temperature before cooking with the red bean paste. Otherwise, reheat before serving.

You can serve this delightful cholesterol-free, high-fiber bread on New Year's Eve instead of the traditional bowl of black-eyed peas believed to bring good fortune for the year ahead.

A lighter Cajun mayo made with light mayonnaise and low-fat yogurt, seasoned with cumin, oregano, cayenne, and garlic salt. Mix it up a day ahead and let the spices meld overnight.

Italian-style green bean salad tossed with thinly sliced onions, red wine vinegar, olive oil, basil, and Parmesan. A low-calorie make-ahead side dish that gets better the longer it chills.